Staying Productive At Home + My Dream Office

When I was approached by Wayfair to share some tips about how to stay productive at home it got me thinking. How do I stay productive at home? I've been running my Etsy shop, selling at conventions, and working with other websites while also working at a steady job for years and years now. Ten years to be exact. I feel like staying productive at home has just become routine for me; it's my way of life.

Don't get me wrong, there are days when I feel like staying on the couch all day and watching television. Especially on chilly or rainy days, and when a cat has snuggled up with me. But even on those days I feel guilty not being productive at all. So those unproductive days tend to be pushed away by mid-afternoon and I get back to work, no matter how small the task.


Tips to Stay Productive

Here are some of my tips on how I push myself to be productive at home, especially on the hard days:

  • Plan ahead of time.
Usually at the beginning of the week I pull out my planner and start filling in my schedule for that week. Everything from my shifts at work, to when I'll buy groceries, to afternoons set aside for sewing. This way each morning I can look at my planner and see what I have scheduled for that day and can start working towards completing my to-do list.


  • Set small goals.
Once I know what I have in store for that day, I make goals mentally for that day. Something like, 'sew 10 pouches before taking a break' or 'after lunch write 2 blog posts before checking emails'. It seems easy enough, but if you follow through with multiple small goals you'll notice your to-do list will get checked off a lot quicker. Your list won't seem so daunting when broken into smaller segments.

  • Take time for yourself too.
I can easily get caught up at home working on a project and I'll actually forget to eat lunch or I'll stand up to use the bathroom and realize my legs are really sore or I'm light-headed. Make sure you take time for you. Do 5 minutes of stretches when you get up for something. Take regular water and coffee breaks in the kitchen just to break yourself away from your computer screen, desk, or sewing machine. A change of scenery, even for 15 minutes, can do wonders for your brain, eyes, and posture. I usually spend this time petting or playing with my cats which is a good stress reliever.

Dream Office

As for my current office/craft room, things are in shambles right now and not as put together as I'd like. I'm hoping to have a proper set up by the end of 2017! So for now, here's an idea of what I'd love for an office:

All these items can be found in the Wayfair's Office Furniture section.


How cute is that Potted Pen Stand? And I'm surprising myself more and more when I pick white over other colours, but it's become my favourite backdrop for pops of colour through accessories.

What tips do you have for staying productive at home?
xo Jen

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